Acetylene-gas generator



No. 627,l78. Patented June 20, I899.

' F. M. DRAPER.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed June 11, 1898.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets8heet I.

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No. 627,|78. Patented June 20, I899. r. M. DBAPEB.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed June 11, 1898.) QNo Model.)- 4 Sheets-Sheet 2:.

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Patented June 20, I899. F: M. DR-APER.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed June 11, 1898.)

4 Shaets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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No. 627,!78, w Patented lune 20, I899.

F. M. DHAPER;

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR;

(Application filed June 11, 1898;) (NolodeL) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 UNITEDSTATES P TENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS M. DRAPER, or DANA, INDIANA.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,178, dated June 20,1899.

Application filed June 11, 1898. Serial No. 683,193- NO odel-l To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. DRAPER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dana, in the county of Vermilion and State of Indiana, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Machines, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for manufacturing acetylene gas, inwhich calcium carbid and water are brought. into contact with eachother, which chemically combine to evolve the gas. In suchmachinesitisimportant that the carbid and water be fed to thegenerating-chamberin regulatedquantities, so that no more gas than isnecessary be generated.

The object of myinvention is to provide an improved acetylene-gasmachine in which the carbid is contained in a rotary cage provided withopenings to allow the water to enter the same and also allow the ashescaused by the spent or decomposed carbid to fall to the bottom of thegenerating-chamber in which the cage is located.

It is also an object to provide means for automatically rotating thecage and also regulating the quantity of water fed to thegenerating-chamber by the movement of the movable section of agasometer.

It also has for its object to improve generally such machines 'whereby Isecure important advantages with respect to efficiency in operation.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of agas-machine constructed in accordancewith my invention. Fig. 2 is asimilar view looking from the opposite side. Fig. 3 is a centrallongitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line a: as,Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of thelever by which thequantity of water admitted to the carbid-cage is regulated. Fig. 6 is atransverse section of the generator on the liney y, Fig. 4. Fig. '7 isadetail longitudinal section of the shaft and mechanism for rotating thecarbid-cage. Fig. 8 is a detail horizontal section of one of the bars,slide, and guides of the gasometer. Fig. 9 is a similar view of theother bar, slide, and guide.

' the gas contained therein to escape.

In the said drawings the reference-numeral 1 designates the stationarysection of a gasometer open at the upperend and provided at said openend with a chamber 2, surrounding the same. Located in this cylinder isa vertically-movable open-ended cylinder 3, provided with an interiorcasingat, extending from the top downwardly to about one-third of theheight of the cylinder. Telescoping within said cylinder 3 is avertically-movable dome or section 5, provided with adownwardly-extending escape-pipe 6, with which is connected a sliding ppe 6, which pipes when said sections or cylinders 3 and 5 are elevatedto their extreme height will allow Secured to the lower end of pipe 6 isa pipe 6", which engages with pipe 6 when elevated to raise the latter.Said section 5 is also provided with an interior casing 7. The gasometerthus described is to be filled with water, as

usual, so as to form a seal and operate in the ordinary manner.

Secured to the outer cylinder 1 is a generating chamber or vesselconsisting of. a rectangular box 8, provided at the upper end withsupplemental walls 9, forming a water-chamher to receive the top orcover 10, forming a water seal to prevent escape of gas. Said vessel orbox is also provided with an air-vent 12, which is designed for thepurpose of drawing off the air when the generator is first started, sothat the air in the generator shall not go with the gas to the holder.This is accomplished by opening the vent fora minute or two aftergeneration begins, when the acetylene generated will drive out the air.The cover 10 is held in place by a pivoted bar 13, the ends of whichengage with slots in catches 14, secured to the box. Said vessel or boxis provided with a cook 15 to draw off the water accumulating therein.Located in said vessel or box is a rotatable carbid-cage consisting ofend heads 16 and longitudinal bars 17 with spaces therebetween. A numberof said bars other engages with a slot 21 in a rotatable bearing 23 ofthe shaft 24, extending through the said box. Adjacent to the bearing 23is a plate 22, provided with a slot 22, open at the upper end, withwhich the shaft 2 L also engages. It will be seen that the-said cagecannot be removed until the slot 21'is in a perpendicular position, withits open side pointin g upward, so as to register with the slot 22.There is a pointer or hand 25 at the outer end of said shat't coincidingwith the slot for indicating when the'latter isin position to allow thecage to be removed. Said shaft is provided with a ratchet-wheel 26, withwhich .engages a pawl 27 to prevent backward movement of .the cage.Secured to the shaft 24: outside of said box or vessel is aratchet-wheel 28, with which en gagesaspring-actuated pawl 29, pivotedto an oscillating cog-wheel 30, loosely jou rnaied on said shaft, sothat as said cog wheel is turned in one direction the ratchet-wheel 2band the carbid-cage will be rotated; but on the return or reversemovement said cog-wheel, and consequently the ca rbid-cage, will not bemoved. Meshing with the cog-wheel 30 is a cogged segment 31 at one endof a lever 32, pivotally connected with the scope, the bar 36 firstmoving with the dome 5 until the latter reaches its highest limit, whenthe cylinder 3 will commence to move, carrying with it the slide 37. Theguide and slide are formed with vertical slots to allow of themovementof the-pin. The said dog is so constructed that on the descent of thebar 36 the pin will strike and depress the dog, so as to ride past itwithout operating the lever;

but on the upward movement of said rod the pin will engage with the dogto operate the lever, which through its connections will rotate or turnthe carbid-cage. The object of rotating the cage is to sift the ashes orspent carbid'from the cage and bring a fresh quantity under thewater-trough, hereinafter described. At the opposite side of'the machineis a water-pipe 39, communicating with the cylinder 1, by which waterfrom the-latter is-fed to the carbid-cage. This pipe passes through oneend of the carbid-chamber and extends transversely across the same tonear theopposite side or end and is then turned upwardly or providedwith a vertical pipe 40,

having'a lateral nozzle 41. Pivoted to this nozzleis a trough 42,located above the carbid-cage and provided with perforations in itsbottom to allow water to escape therefrom to'the carbid-cage. The objectof pivoting this trough is to allow itto be turned up out; of the waywhen the cage is to be removed.

The numeral 43 designates a stop-cock connected-with the pipe 39, andsecured thereto is a lever 45, provided with a weight 46 at one end. Atthe opposite end said lever is provided with a pivoted lug 47, adaptedto turn outwardly or horizontally and against which bears a spring48 forholding it in place. Pivoted to said lug is a vertically-movable dog49,with which is adapted to engage a pin 50 on a vertically-movable bar51, secured to the dome 5. This bar works in a vertically-movable slide52, secured to the cylinder 3, which in turn works in a vertical guide54, secured to the cylinder 1. This bar and slide are similar to bar 36and slide 37 and work in a similar manner. Said guide and slide areformed with vertical slots to allow the pin to project therethrough andwork up and down. The construction of said bar and lever is such thatwhen the gas in the gasometer gets belowa certain limit and the domefalls the pin 50 will strike the dog 49, which in turn will operate thelever to open the stop-cock and ad-- mit a requisite quantity of waterto the trough and carbid-cage. Upon the upward movement of the pin itwill elevate and ride past the dog without operating the lever. The saiddog is also adapted to engage with an inclined rod or cam 55, secured tothe cylinder 1, so as to throw it sidewise so as to clear it from thepin. The object of this construction is that when the carbid in the cageis exhausted or spent and the gas in the gasometer has been withdrawnthe dome 5 in its descent will depress the bar 51, so that the dogcoming in contact with said rod or cam will be thrown off the pin 50 andthe lever allowed to fall .and close the stop-cock and prevent floodingof the generating chamber. (See dotted lines, Fig. 2.)

It may happen that during the operation of the machine all watersupplied or fed to the cage is not decomposed, so that it willaccumulate in the lower part of the generatingchamber and eventuallyrise up and-enter the carbid-cage. To prevent this and automatically cutoff the supply of feed-water when the water in the said chamber rises toa certain level, I provide the following means:

Connected with the vertical pipe 40 is a stopcook 56, the stem of whichis provided with a lever 57, to which is connected a vertical rod 57having a float 57 at its' lower end, which will be elevated when thewater reaches a certain level and shut the cock, and thus cut off thesupply of feed-water. The said generating chamber or box is providedwith a draw-off cock 15, and located in said chamber, below the cage, isa pan 58, provided with a perforated bottom 58, to collect and hold anyfine carbid which may escape-from the latter.

The numeral 59 designates a gas-pipe leading from the upper end of thegeneratingchamber to the gasometer and extending up above the water-linein the latter. Said pipe is provided with coils 60, located in thegasometer, for cooling the gas, and is also provided with a stop-cock61.

The numeral 62 designates a gas-pipe extending from the gasometer to theburner or burners. (Not shown.)

The operation of the machine is as follows: Water is supplied to thewater-chamber at the upper end of the cylinder 1, which will overflowinto the latter, so as to keep up the proper level therein. Theearbid-cage has then placed in it a suitable quantity of calcium carbid.A requisite quantity of water is then supplied to the perforated troughand from thence escapes to the cage to generate sufficient gas to fillthe gasometer, which will elevate the movable sections 1 hereof, asusual. Upon the upward movement of the dome the pin 35 will strike thedog 34 of the lever 32, operating the latter and through its connectionsturning the cage, causing the ashes or spent carbid to be sifted fromthe cage and afresh supply of the cat-bid to be brought under thewater-trough. In case more gas is generated than the gasometer will holdthe excess or surplus will escape through the pipes 6 and 6?, connectedwith the dome. As

the gas in the gasometer is consumed the dome and movable cylinder willfall until a predetermined limit has been reached, when the pin 50 ofbar 51 will strike the dog 49, depressing the lever 45 and opening thestopcock 43, so as to admit a quantity of water to the trough andcarbid-cage sufficient to generate enough gas to again fill thegasometer. This operation will be continued sue cessively until all thecarbid in the cage is spent or exhausted, the cage being rotated on theupward movement of the dome and the stop-cock 43 closed on such movementand opened upon the downward movement of the dome.

" When all the carbid in the cage is exhausted or spent, the dome willdescend, and the pin 50, engaging with thedog of the lever 45, wouldoperate the latter and open the stop-cock 43 and flood thegenerating-chamber if provision were not made for preventing the same.To prevent this floodin g, there is secured to the cylinder 1 aninclined rod or cam 55, which when the dome descends and the pin 50falls below a predetermined limit the latter will engage with said rodor cam, by which the dog will be forced outwardly, clearing the pin andallowing the lever 43 to fall and close the stop-cock, thus cutting oifthe ter without affecting the principle of the invention.

Having thus fullydescribed my invention, what I claim is- 1. In anacetylene-gas machine, the combination with the generator, of thegasometer comprising the stationary cylinder connected therewithprovided with an annular waterchamber at the upper end, theverticallymovable open-ended cylinder located therein having an interiorsupplemental wall or casing, the vertically-movable dome having aninterior supplemental wall or casing, the downwardly extending escapepipe secured to said dome, the vertically-movable pipe through the upperend of which the escapepipe passes and the pipe secured to the lower endof the escape-pipe, substantially as described.

2. In an acetylene-gas machine, the combination with the generator, ofthe carbid-cage comprising the end heads and bars, the journals securedto said heads, the fixed bearing with which one of said journalsengages, the plate having an open slot therein, the rotatable bearingformed with an open slot with which the other journal engages, and theshaft to which said rotatable bearing is secured, substantially asspecified.

3. In an acetylene-gas machine, the combination with the gasometercomprising the stationary cylinder, the vertically-movable dome and the,bar connected therewith provided with a pin, of the generator connectedwith said gasometer, the rotatable carbid-cage located therein, theshaft with which one of the dome provided with a pin and the slidewithin which said bar works movable in said guide, of the generator, therotatable carbid-cham ber located therein, the shaft connected with saidcage having a ratchet-wheel fixed thereto, the loose cogwheel on saidshaft provided with a pawl engaging with said ratchet-wheel, the leverhaving a cogged segment at one end engaging with said cog-wheel, and thepivoted dog at the opposite end of said lever, substantially asdescribed.

5. In an acetylene-gas machine, the combination with the gasometercomprising the stationary cylinder and the vertically-movable dome, andthe bar connected with said dome, and provided with a pin, of thegenerator,

the pipe connecting the same with the gasometerprovided with astop-cock,the weighted lever having a pivoted dog adapted to be engagedby said pin, and said pipe extending up into the generator and providedwith a lateral nozzle and the perforated trough pivotally connected withsaid nozzle, substantially as described.

6. In an acetylene-gas machine, the combination with the gasometercomprising the stationary cylinder,the vertically-movable dome and thebar secured to said dome provided with a pin, of the generator, the pipeconnecting the same with the gasom eter provided with a'stop-cock, thelever connected therewith provided with a pivoted dog with which saidpin is adapted to engage and said. pipe extending up into the generatorand provided with a lateral nozzle, the perforated trough connectedtherewith and the rotatable carbid-cage located in said generator andmeans for intermittently rotating the same by the movement of said dome,substantially as described.

'7. In an acetylene-gas machine, the combination with the generator, thegasoineter comprising the'st-ationary cylinder, the verticallymovabledome provided with depending bars provided with pins, the pipeconnecting said gasometer and generator, the stop-cock, the Weightedlever connected therewith provided with a pivoted dog with which the pinof one of said bars is adapted to engage, and the pivoted perforatedtrough,of the rotatable carbid-cage wheel, the cog-wheel loose on saidshaft provided with a pawl engaging with said ratchetwheel, the leverhaving a cogged segment at one end meshing with said cog-Wheel and apivoted dog at the other end, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

8. In an acetylene-gas machine, the combination with the gasometercomprising the stationary cylinder and the vertically-movable domeprovided with a downwardly-depending bar having an outwardly-projectingpin, of the generator, the pipe connecting the same with the gasometerprovided with a stopcock, the weighted lever connected with saidstop-cock, the spring-actuated lug pivoted to said lever, the dogpivoted tosaid lug and the inclined rod or cam with which said dog isadapted to engage, substantially as described.

9. In an acetylene-gas machine, the combination with the generator andthe rotatable carbid-cage, of the water-supply pipe, the stop-cockconnected therewith, the arm connected with said stop-cock, the verticalrod and the float, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS M. DRAPER.

Witnessesi FRANK H. SMITH, B. B. CONAWAY.

